Champlain Path Feasibility Study
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Champlain Path Feasibility Study CONTENTS APPENDICIES Background--------------------------------------------- 2 Appendix A: Champlain Path Concept Plan -------------------10 Methodology ------------------------------------------- 2 Appendix B: Photographs ------------------------------------------24 Public and Agency Involvement ------------------- 3 Appendix C: Environmental Analysis ----------------------------28 Context -------------------------------------------------- 3 Appendix D: Archeological Resource Assessment ----------31 Trail Design--------------------------------------------- 3 Appendix E: Typical Cross Sections-----------------------------39 Recommendations------------------------------------ 3 Appendix F: Cost Analysis -----------------------------------------42 Trail Cost ------------------------------------------------ 8 TABLES Table 1: Trail Segments Table 2: Trail Segments Outside Railroad ROW Table 3: Estimated Trail Construction Cost Alta Planning + Design Champlain Path Feasibility Study 2 Background Also, Alta Planning + Design obtained the railroad valuation or ‘val’ plans from Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO). These val plans are a map of the The Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO) contracted with rail corridor prepared in 1914. Included in the val plans are the railroad centerline with Alta Planning + Design to study the feasibility of constructing a shared use path for bicycles stationing every 1000 feet, the railroad right of way or boundary lines, drainage structures, and pedestrians in the area west of Route 7 from Charlotte to Burlington, Vermont. The bridges and road crossings. The valuation plans were scanned and digitally reproduced in study area included a state-owned railroad leased to Vermont Railway. The railroad runs Computer Aided Design (CAD) software, showing existing bridges, rivers, streams, south to north with Charlotte in the south and Burlington in the north. Until recently, drainage features and grade crossings. Mileposts along the railroad were included as were Vermont Railway operated both freight and commuter rail passenger service (Champlain the railroad centerline and stationing every 1000 feet. Flyer) in the corridor. The commuter rail service was recently discontinued. Currently, there are approximately two freight trains that run north and two that run south per day on This digitized file was overlaid onto orthophotos obtained from the CCMPO. This allowed this railroad. There is also an excursion train called the Champlain Valley which runs two for a concept layout of the path to be refined along the railroad corridor easily. The roundtrips on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from July 4 through October 19. The excursion orthophotos also allowed constraints to be clearly identified. Constraints in the corridor train runs between Burlington and Middlebury with intermediate stops in Shelburne and were: Charlotte. • Steep slopes Alta Planning + Design had two subcontractors who contributed to this study. Natural • Narrow right of way (ROW) Resource Consulting Services (NRCS) of Grand Isle, Vermont performed an environmental • Wetlands analysis of environmental resources along the railroad corridor. The NRCS report is • Water bodies (streams, rivers etc) attached in Appendix C. The University of Vermont (UVM) Consulting Archeology Program prepared an Archaeology Resource Assessment (ARA) along the corridor in the The steep slopes and ROW constraints are noted with an orange strip, indicating the towns of Charlotte, Shelburne, South Burlington and Burlington. The UVM report is approximate location and length of the constraint. The majority of the steep slopes were at included in Appendix D. Findings of these two reports were incorporated in the the bridge crossings and the water crossings, especially at the La Platte River. The wetlands recommendations of the feasibility study. and water bodies were mapped by National Resource Consulting Services, Inc. (NRCS). These water constraints were obtained as Geographic Information System (GIS) layers from Methodology the Vermont Mapping Program and through field investigations by NRCS. The water data Alta Planning + Design staff with Vermont Railway investigated the rail corridor from layers were then overlaid onto the orthophotos with the digitized valuation plans to create Charlotte to Burlington on two occasions. On November 6, 2002 Alta and Vermont Railway a working drawing set. Follow up field work allowed the areas of constraint to be revised rode in a truck mounted on the rails (high rail vehicle), stopping frequently to assess further. conditions. Video tape of the corridor was taken along with digital still pictures at bridges, grade crossings and other points of interest. On that same day, Alta staff rode the UVM used the video taken by Alta and with their extensive knowledge of the study area to Champlain Flyer, taking pictures and video from the locomotive. An additional high-rail prepare their report indicating potential areas of further investigation where the path may ride was taken on March 21, 2003 to further investigate pinch points and trail alternatives be located in archeologically sensitive areas. along the corridor. This second investigation occurred after meeting with the public and getting their input on trail placement along the corridor. This information, along with the video and pictures have been used to assess the feasibility of constructing a shared use path for bicycles and pedestrians in the railroad corridor. Alta Planning + Design Champlain Path Feasibility Study 3 Public and Agency Involvement Currently, Route 7 does not have adequate bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. The Under the direction of the Chittenden County MPO, a steering committee was created reconstruction of Route 7 from Webster Road to Imperial Drive will include bike lanes. This consisting of town officials from Charlotte, Shelburne, South Burlington and Burlington, the project is under construction. This on-road alternative is only for a portion of the project Chittenden County MPO, Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), local bicycle and area for this study. pedestrian advocates, the railroad operator, Vermont Railway and concerned citizens. There was an initial meeting with the CCMPO to gather data on November 5, 2002. Then Trail Design the first committee meeting took place on December 10, 2002. The steering committee has advised the consultant and the CCMPO during the duration of this study. The shared use path for this study is assumed to be 10 feet wide with an asphalt wearing course and 8 to 10-inch gravel base. There are 2- foot shoulders consisting of grass or A public meeting was held at the Shelburne Municipal building on March 20, 2003. The ’giving’ material on either side of the path. The path offset is measured from the center of meeting presented preliminary options for the layout of a trail along the railroad corridor. the railroad to the fence separating the railroad from the path. In this study the typical Based on comments from this meeting, a preliminary findings report was prepared and minimum offset as defined by VTrans is 25 feet. In Shelburne there is a short segment distributed to the CCMPO, the steering committee and Vermont Railway. where the path offset is 18 feet. Two cross sections of the path showing the typical offset to the railroad are shown in Appendix E. The typical sections include a 6-foot high chain link A meeting was held at the VTrans office with the CCMPO, the State Bicycle Coordinator fence between the path and the railroad. A fence is assumed for the entire length of the path and officials from VTrans Railroad Division to clarify issues surrounding the path location for the purpose of the cost estimates. During design, the need for and location of fencing or and offset from the railroad on April 29, 2003 . The comments from the meeting were then other forms of separation between the railroad and the path will be evaluated for all incorporated into a complete draft report. The draft report was distributed to the CCMPO, segments. VTrans and Vermont Railway. Recommendations A meeting was held with Vermont Railway in Burlington on June 23, 2003. David Wolfson, The following section describes the corridor from south to north and divides the potential President of Vermont Railway, provided detailed comments on the design and location of trail into eight segments. Major features within each segment are discussed. Photographs the path. The concept plan for the path was modified and presented at a public meeting on showing these features for each segment are provided in Appendix B . The trail segments, August 27, 2003 in Shelburne. Comments received at that meeting have been incorporated broken down in Table 1, include railroad stationing and distances for each segment in miles in this report. and feet. Included in Appendix A are concept plans (maps) of the study corridor at 400 scale. These maps are drawings that point out a preference for one side of the rail versus the Context other for a potential trail. This selection of east or west of the track for path placement is This study was performed as part of the review of the regional transportation system. The used to minimize impacts to features adjacent to the railroad and to provide access to Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization wanted to know if a shared use attractions. path for bicycles and pedestrians was feasible along the railroad corridor from Charlotte to